Or are we? During our Wednesday evening prayer and Bible group, we were talking about if every child of God is a saint. Well, our Apostle Paul did call the Ephesians "saints". It does not seem he was talking to only certain Christians. Ephesians 1:1.
There are different meanings for the word "saint".
In Ephesians 1:1 I think Paul is talking about anyone who is a child of God, whoever has been saved by Jesus. And in Ephesians 1:12 Paul talks about "we who first trusted in Christ".
So, becoming a saved person and a "saint" includes how we have trusted in Jesus. I think of how personal it is to come to trust another person, and trusting in Jesus means to let go of all in order to be with Him and submit to all He desires to do with us.
So, it means to be sanctified > to be set apart from this world so we belong to God, now.
So, I see, one meaning of a "saint" is a person who has left this world and its ways and now the person has gotten started with Jesus in all God desires for us while we are still in this life.
So, this is with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Being a saint puts us in good company, then; it is not some status religious thing which puts us out of reach of other people.
It is like joining a championship football team. Just by joining the team, you become a champion. Likewise, as soon as a person trusts in Jesus, the person becomes a saint . . . part of the body of Jesus which is holy.
But then the new member of the team needs to go through training and adjustment and exercise and conditioning, and the person develops relating with the coach but also the different members of the team. In a more successful team, ones can find that being family with one another helps a lot, instead of members becoming isolated only with themselves or only with some group of other members.
Like this, a saint is not a saint all by oneself, but we all are members of one another, in Jesus. And we do best to share as family with all of one another, and not to pick and choose who we want because of similar interests and levels of maturity. But we need all of one another.
"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10)
Therefore, ministering grace is not some status thing done only by certain special people and ones who have already died. But all of us minister God's own grace which changes us more and more into the image of Jesus, plus grace includes however God blesses us in this life and our relating with one another as His family.
And > by the way > even if we are not doing well with certain people, Jesus wants us to love each and every person >
"if you love those who love you, what reward have you?" (in Matthew 5:46)
So, always be ready for love. Even if someone refuses you, you be ready for love with that person, praying with hope for how God is able to change that one to become able to share in love. And then, also, in case a certain person is not ready for love with you, your staying ready has you ready for anyone else who God blesses to be able to love with you.
"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)
So, being a saint means we have been brought into God's kingdom of His love. This love is holy, and we have been set apart to share with God in His love, sanctified by being brought into this holy love which the Holy Spirit shares with each of us >
"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5)
So - - - thank You, so much, our God and Father, in the name of Jesus Your Son, for how you have saved us and now You are truly correcting us (Hebrews 12:4-11) in our character, our nature, so we can be like Jesus pleasing to You while we love any and all people the way You mean by Your word, and so we share as Your family with You and one another. And please bless ones who are struggling so that more and more they are not isolated by their troubles but they are snuggling with You and us, please, in the ruling of Your own peace in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Amen, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and soon-coming Groom.
There are different meanings for the word "saint".
In Ephesians 1:1 I think Paul is talking about anyone who is a child of God, whoever has been saved by Jesus. And in Ephesians 1:12 Paul talks about "we who first trusted in Christ".
So, becoming a saved person and a "saint" includes how we have trusted in Jesus. I think of how personal it is to come to trust another person, and trusting in Jesus means to let go of all in order to be with Him and submit to all He desires to do with us.
So, it means to be sanctified > to be set apart from this world so we belong to God, now.
So, I see, one meaning of a "saint" is a person who has left this world and its ways and now the person has gotten started with Jesus in all God desires for us while we are still in this life.
So, this is with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Being a saint puts us in good company, then; it is not some status religious thing which puts us out of reach of other people.
It is like joining a championship football team. Just by joining the team, you become a champion. Likewise, as soon as a person trusts in Jesus, the person becomes a saint . . . part of the body of Jesus which is holy.
But then the new member of the team needs to go through training and adjustment and exercise and conditioning, and the person develops relating with the coach but also the different members of the team. In a more successful team, ones can find that being family with one another helps a lot, instead of members becoming isolated only with themselves or only with some group of other members.
Like this, a saint is not a saint all by oneself, but we all are members of one another, in Jesus. And we do best to share as family with all of one another, and not to pick and choose who we want because of similar interests and levels of maturity. But we need all of one another.
"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10)
Therefore, ministering grace is not some status thing done only by certain special people and ones who have already died. But all of us minister God's own grace which changes us more and more into the image of Jesus, plus grace includes however God blesses us in this life and our relating with one another as His family.
And > by the way > even if we are not doing well with certain people, Jesus wants us to love each and every person >
"if you love those who love you, what reward have you?" (in Matthew 5:46)
So, always be ready for love. Even if someone refuses you, you be ready for love with that person, praying with hope for how God is able to change that one to become able to share in love. And then, also, in case a certain person is not ready for love with you, your staying ready has you ready for anyone else who God blesses to be able to love with you.
"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)
So, being a saint means we have been brought into God's kingdom of His love. This love is holy, and we have been set apart to share with God in His love, sanctified by being brought into this holy love which the Holy Spirit shares with each of us >
"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5)
So - - - thank You, so much, our God and Father, in the name of Jesus Your Son, for how you have saved us and now You are truly correcting us (Hebrews 12:4-11) in our character, our nature, so we can be like Jesus pleasing to You while we love any and all people the way You mean by Your word, and so we share as Your family with You and one another. And please bless ones who are struggling so that more and more they are not isolated by their troubles but they are snuggling with You and us, please, in the ruling of Your own peace in our hearts (Colossians 3:15). Amen, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and soon-coming Groom.
